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Abstract

Type of dependence on another for outcomes (rewards and costs) was expected to affect interest in learning the other's intentions in future interaction. In Exp. 1, 45 college students were led to believe that their outcomes depended upon the combination of their choice and the other's (interdependence), depended completely on the other's actions (dependence), or were unaffected by the other (independence). In Exp. 2, 34 college students had repeated demonstration of their interdependence or dependence. Participants in the interdependent condition more often relinquished a reward to receive information about the other's intentions than those in the dependent (only in Exp. 2) and independent conditions. Participants in the dependent condition were in turn more interested in the other's intentions than those in the independent one. Results were interpreted as supporting the argument of cognitive developmentalists and symbolic interactionists that interdependence encourages the use and development of perspective-taking ability. Findings also suggest that dependence can induce a feeling of powerlessness which results in disinterest in taking another's perspective.

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Motivation for Perspective Taking: Effects of Interdependence and Dependence on Interest in Learning Others' Intentions

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